The White Mountains: The Sequel
by Wade
Summary: This is something I wrote a really long time ago for "The Tripods"/"The White Mountains" trilogy. It's the sequal for the first book. I was young, I had a limited imagination. Please be nice.


**The White Mountains: The Sequel**

"Here he comes!" cried Henry as he ran toward Will who is hiding under a bare bush. Henry and Will are following their close friend, Beanpole whose real name is Jean-Paul but because he is tall and skinny they call him Beanpole. Will and Henry are cousins, who do not really like each other. Although Will is about a month older than Henry, Henry is a lot stronger than Will. So he picks on Will. Obviously Will hates that. 

It has been about a year since Beanpole, Will and Henry have left their native villages to head for the White Mountains, to escape from being capped by the Tripods, who seemed to follow every move they made. In the villages, it is customary when a child reaches adulthood that he is sent up into a Tripod. When he returns, the hair on the top of his head would be shaven off, and there would be a metal cap fused to his skull. Everyone took this ceremony for granted; no one talked or questioned it after being capped. It seems as if all the people that are capped have lost control of their own minds. They are probably being controlled by the Tripods. So far all that the uncapped know is that the Earth was not always controlled by Tripods. They believe that about one thousand years ago the Tripods invaded Earth. Tripods are gigantic metal structures. They have a halved sphere with a band of tinted widows on top of three long metal legs. 

Will and Henry had met with Beanpole on the way to the White Mountains. Beanpole is exceptionally bright and intelligent, so when he learned of what the caps did, he instantly decided that he did not want to be capped. So Beanpole, Will and Henry, all went to the White Mountains. After that they were all very close friends. 

Will and Henry were still waiting for Beanpole to come around the corner so they could startle him, but nothing has arrived. In frustration, Henry shot up and hopped around looking for Beanpole; his search turned up nothing. There was a hint in the back of Will's mind that maybe Beanpole had lost his spectacles: two glass lenses held in front of his eyes with two metal strips. — Before, Beanpole had made his own spectacles using telescope lenses and wires. 

They were no-match for the ones the scientist made by using the information from old books they had found, that humans had used before the Tripods came. — Beanpole's spectacles were always cumbersome, although the humans in the past had developed ways of using tiny light lenses that could fit on the eyes, our scientists had not yet gotten the proper materials to make them. — Will was very concerned of what might have happened to Beanpole without his spectacles. Therefore, Will and Henry started searching the entire area surrounding the White Mountains. At dusk Henry confronted Will with disappointment, "It's time to return." 

Will looked at Henry with a sad face and replied, "You go, I'll continue searching for Beanpole." 

Henry knew that he couldn't leave Will alone, so after continuous persuasion 

Will finally gave in. As they headed for the White Mountains, they stumbled upon Beanpole's spectacles. 

Beanpole's spectacles were covered with a disgusting green ooze. At first Will was about to touch the spectacles but Henry cut in, "We don't know much about this stuff, it could be poisonous!" 

"Yes, you're right," Will called back, realizing how ignorant he must have seemed. 

Will and Henry decided to bring back the spectacles and ooze in a plastic bag, an invention our scientists have recreated, because they believed that the ooze had something to do with the Tripods. They believe scientists might be able to learn something from the ooze. 

When Will and Henry returned to the White Mountains, they were shocked to learn that Beanpole is not the only missing person. "It turns out that fifteen people have disappeared in the last three weeks and many might be disappearing right now," declared Julius in a meeting that he was holding after noticing an abundance of missing person reports. Julius is the head of all uncapped colonies. He had started the band against the tripods when he was a young uncapped boy. He and his friends started having doubts of what the caps really did, so one night they ran away. 

At the meeting, Julius declared, "After careful research the scientists have confirmed that the green ooze that Will and Henry found," he stared directly at the two, "is in fact a type of blood," there was a moan of disgust in the crowd; Julius continued, "Jean-Paul must have used his spectacles as a weapon when the monster tried to kidnap him. With this sample we can probably find a poison to kill the monsters controlling the tripods!" there were shouts of excitement in the crowd. 

After the meeting Julius assigned everyone a duty; Will and Henry were teamed with Francine. They were suppose to monitor a city where tripods have been known to regularly land. It is huge and has a gigantic glass dome covering. 

Will was reluctant to work with Francine. He didn't approve of girls doing the same work as boys. Henry chatted with Francine and he found that she was quite nice, Henry tried to convince Will that it was no big deal, but Will was as stubborn as usual. 

When Julius realized what was happening he called to speak to Will, "Will, I realize you are having some problems with Francine." 

"Yes sir, I can't work with her," Will blurted out. 

"You will have to work this problem out with Francine," Julius replied. 

Will started, "But she's a . . . " 

"No 'buts'. If you don't straighten your differences out between yourself and Francine, you will remain behind," Julius declared. 

"Yes sir," Will whimpered. 

The next day, Will still did not agree that Francine should go, but he didn't want to be left behind. He walked up to Francine with a false smile and with the friendliest voice he could find and said, "Hi, I'm Will!" 

She gave him a friendly smile and replied, "Hello Will, I'm Francine. I don't believe we have ever met. I've met your friend, though." 

Will could not think of what else to say. "See you later!" he managed and he ran away. 

Finally, the day came when they were to leave. The scientists handed the three of them each a spray bottle that was completely filled with the poison: it was developed by using the blood that was found. The three of them were instructed to aim the spray toward the eyes, the nose or the mouth of the monsters. 

For the journey, each of them prepared a knapsack filled with tightly packed food, and extra clothing for if it should get colder. Will packed with his things, Beanpole's spectacles in case they happen to find him. Will noticed that Francine took her time to pack her things neatly, so he packed his things as quickly as he could. Although they both had the same volume of things, Will was struggling to stuff his jacket into his knapsack while Francine had enough space to add in some more food. 

It was a hot and sunny day. Will had to hold his jacket over his arm and staggered after Henry and Francine. They had travelled almost eleven kilometres. Will had been continuously switching his jacket from one arm to the other. Henry and Francine had offered to take turns holding the jacket but Will refused to take the offer, even though beads of sweat covered his face and he is really tired. All of a sudden Will blacked out. Henry and Francine heard a loud 'thud' from behind them. When they turned around they saw Will lying unconscious. They ran to Will's aide. When they could not wake him up, they decide that they would set up camp since it is almost dark. Henry and Francine knew that the jacket was the problem so they re-packed Will's bag. 

The next morning. Will woke up. Henry and Francine insisted that they should hold his knapsack. At first Will said he could manage but when he picked up the knapsack he felt so dizzy that he let Henry and Francine take turns carrying the knapsack. 

When they reached the city, Will felt well enough to carry his knapsack. They happened to find a little storage hut and decided to use it while monitoring the city. They unpacked and put their things away in the hut. 

After a week of surveillance, they noticed that every few hours a Tripod entered the cave that was directly beside the storage hut. After disguising this, they decide that there is a high chance that the missing people are in the cave, so they head for the cave. 

When they reached the cave, Will and Henry were about to enter the cave when Francine pulled them back and whispered, "Look!" Will and Henry turned around and see a Tripod heading right for them! They scrambled out of the way and were relieved to find that the Tripod was only heading for the cave, not for them. They waited for the Tripod to leave and when it did, they marched inside. The cave was damp, wet and it was dark except for a few tiny torches that were high in the ceiling. They entered farther down inside the cave. Later they could hear sounds of snoring. They were puzzled and quickened their steps. 

Soon they reach a metal door with a metal lock. In front of the metal door there was a monster with reptilian green skin. He was wearing a sparkling silver coloured cloak and an emerald green badge on his right shoulder "Oh, great!" sighed Will. 

"Will, be quiet! Don't you remember the spray we have?" whispered Henry. 

"Right!" replied Will. He opened his bag, grabbed the spray, and with gigantic steps, headed toward the monster. 

"Careful!" Francine whispered. 

After one spray, nothing happened. He was about to spray again, but all of a sudden the monster collapsed. 

"All right, now what about this lock?" complained Will as he helplessly tried slamming the lock into the door. 

"Let me try." said Francine. She grabbed a piece of wire from her knapsack and walked toward the lock. She stuck the wire into the lock, did a couple of quick twists and the lock clicked open. 

Will realized that Francine wasn't that bad after all, as he went to congratulate her. 

With a lot of effort they finally manage to open the door. Inside, the cavern was filled with people that the three of them recognized from the White Mountains. The people inside started smiling as they realized what has just happened. 

Henry said that he would head back to White Mountains to tell everyone what happened. After Henry left, Will began searching for Beanpole because he knew that Beanpole could not see what was happening. Finally, he found Beanpole and called Francine to meet him. Will returned Beanpole's spectacles. 

When Beanpole regained his sight, he asked, "Hey Will! Who's that?" 

Will replied, "She's Francine, my friend." 

The End 


End file.
